1. Priority of Disclosure
This invention disclosure is preceded by U.S. Provisional Pat. Applications No. 61/001,210 (filed: 31 Oct. 2007, No. 61/206,228 (filed: 29 Jan. 2009, and No. 61/159,444 (filed: 12 Mar. 2009); both of which are remain pending from their respective separately established dates, while thus being carried forth dependent via this instant disclosure.
2. Field of Invention
This invention relates to rotary-actuators in the form of door-knobs, and more specifically it relates to door-knobs and associated latches for hinged-doors employing anti-ligative ensnaring resistant means, hence particularly suited to institutional usage (ie: psychiatric-institutions, hospitals, jails, etc.)—as an impulsive-suicide deterrent.
3. Relevant Prior-Art
Presently there are several door-lock companies producing what they elude to as anti-ligative suicide deterrent door-knobs, nevertheless successful attempts continue to be achieved via these hardware owing their for one reason or another still not achieving true non-ensnarable construction. For example, some firms produce door-knobs which while perhaps designed free of ensnarable declivities, such as eliminating the traditional bulbuls grasping-knob, —yet employ to shallow a pitch or slope of the door-knob, —thereby unwittingly enabling a person to snag a loop of cord there around, and ultimately obtain some manner of cross-lashing to the opposite like designed door-knob for example. Still other manufacturers make L-shaped door-knobs claimed to be anti-ligative, which are nevertheless predictably ensnarable no matter how slick their design, —merely by means of crosslashing. However, i have discovered and make full disclosure herein, of a critical transition-point technique of construction to which no cording can be successfully secured; —this vitally critical slope or pitch angle being an approximate minimum of 40-degrees (—as measured relative to the door-knob's central-axis of rotation).
Background research discovery provided relatively little prior patent-art regarded as germane to this disclosure, chronologically for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,792,877 (filed: June 1972) shows a latch-bolt member (102) of cylindrical design, which poses a typical problem with regard to the nature of its horizontal slide-surface providing a potential ensnaring point where a small cord such as a shoelace or electrical-cord could be lodged in an ensnaring manner by a mentally-depressed person impulsively intent upon terminating themself via a contrived hanging-noose means.
In pending U.S. Pat. No. 0,135,956 (filed: March 2003) is shown an ergonomic ErgoHandle', which exhibits a novel snare preventative configuration, —however it is entirely remiss of any positive-acting latching and release means; —therefore as such, it is essentially limited for usage in conjunction with cabinet-doors and drawers and the like.
In U.S. Pat. No. 0,220,398 (filed: March 2006) shows an doorknob which in its FIGS. 1 & 2 embodiment is substantially free of surface undulations such as a reduced neck-diameter which would enable a person to snag a cord like entity such as a shoelace; —however, the joint-crevice created where the doorknob (1) merges with the decorative-ring (2), along with the overall shape of the doorknob projecting at a right-angle from the door-surface, in of itself constitutes a convenient ensnarable protrusion. Accordingly, while ergonomic in design relative to the inventor's desire to provide a doorknob offering improved rotational grasping ability, the substantially cylindrical shape still poses the inherent problem of ensnarability residing in all conventional doorknobs.
Additionally, there is a less germane class of utility-knobs such as have been designed for gas-burner valve-controls for kitchen-stoves, and radio control-knobs, such as are generally exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. D114,315 (filed: October 19328) showing a 3-finned knob, No. D145,210 (filed: Novemeber 1943) showing a 4-finned knob, and No. 267,194 (filed: December 1982) showing a 6-finned; —however, none of the designs anticipated an anti-ligative purpose, whilst all of the designs employed shapes which characterized exactly the problem which my invention serves to overcome, whereby each of them would allow a cord to be lodged transversely across their finger-hold fins without sliding off; —while also posing the potential to secure a cord of some sort behind the base of the knob.
Therefore, in full consideration of the preceding patent review, there is revealed a need for an improved form of hardware to which these identified prior-art inventions have been at least remotely addressed. The inventor hereof believes their newly improved door-knob device, referred commercially to as the LIFESTAR™ doorknob, being developed for production under auspices of—Shilts-Mfg./Mkt. Co., exhibits certain unique human-factors design advantages, as shall become clearly revealed in the subsequent portion of this disclosure.